Electronic device

ABSTRACT

An electronic device has a first body; a second body; a rotating device rotatably connecting the first body and the second body; and an enclosing mechanism enclosing at least a part of the rotating device.

This application is a divisional of and claims priority to U.S.application Ser. No. 14/832,418 filed Aug. 21, 2015; to Chinese patentapplication No. 201510432354.8 filed Jul. 21, 2015; and to Chinesepatent application No. 201510432395.7 filed Jul. 21, 2015; the entirecontents of each are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

In the related art, one type of electronic device (e.g., portablecomputer) generally includes a real physical keyboard part and a displaypart, the two parts are connected together by a fixed rotating deviceand can be rotated and located relative to each other, wherein the realphysical keyboard part can be only used for inputting operationinstructions of a user, and the display part is merely used fordisplaying interactive information.

In the above type of electronic device, since the real physical keyboardpart and the display part are connected together by the fixed rotatingdevice, they cannot be detached from each other for separation. Inaddition, as the real physical keyboard part can be only used forinputting operation instructions of the user, and only the display partis used for displaying interactive information, a display area isdecreased, resulting in decreased display information, which brings alot of inconvenience to the user when needing to display a large amountof information. In addition, due to the real physical keyboard, theoverall size of the keyboard part and the size of each key are fixed. Inthis way, corresponding adjustment is hard to make according to theoperation habits of each user. Further, the way of applying this type ofelectronic device by users is unitary.

In the related art, another type of electronic device includes a displaypart and a real physical keyboard part which are detachably connectedtogether. Although the display part and the real physical keyboard partare separable, due to the existence of the real physical keyboard part,the size of this type of electronic device is larger, and thus theportability thereof is reduced.

In the related art, there is also a type of electronic device which onlyincludes a display part, for example, an iPad tablet computer proposedby the US Apple Computer Inc. in 2010, the display part thereof is bothused for displaying interactive information and used for displaying avirtual keyboard to enable the user to input operation instructions.

In the above type of electronic device, since the display part thereofis both used for displaying the interactive information and used fordisplaying the virtual keyboard, the display area is decreased,resulting in decreased display information, which brings a lot ofinconvenience to the user when needing to display a large amount ofinformation. In addition, this type of electronic device generally needsto be held by one hand of the user, while the other hand is used forinputting the operation instructions. When needing to input a largenumber of operation instructions, this type of electronic device alsoneeds an additional supporting device, for example, a bracket, and anadditional external keyboard, for example, a real keyboard in wired orwireless connection with the electronic device. Due to the existence ofthe additional supporting device and the additional external keyboard,the portability of this type of electronic device is reduced.

In addition, in the related art, these display parts generally includehard display screens, that is, unbendable display screens. Further, nodisplay device is arranged on the rotating part in the related art,while only a rotating mechanism is arranged thereon. All these cause theunitary way of applying this type of electronic device by the user.

SUMMARY

In view of the above problems in the related art, according to a firstaspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device is provided. Theelectronic device comprising: a first body; a second body; a rotatingdevice rotatably connecting the first body and the second body; and anenclosing mechanism enclosing at least a part of the rotating device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an electronic device according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure in a first operation mode;

FIG. 2 shows an electronic device according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure in a second operation mode;

FIG. 3 shows an electronic device according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure in a third operation mode;

FIG. 4 shows an electronic device according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure in a fourth operation mode;

FIG. 5 shows an electronic device according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure in a fifth operation mode;

FIG. 6 shows an electronic device according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure in a sixth operation mode, and further shows mortiseand tenon fit formed by a matching part and a fixing part;

FIG. 7 shows an electronic device according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure in a sixth operation mode;

FIG. 8 shows an electronic device according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure in a seventh operation mode;

FIG. 9 shows an electronic device according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure in an eighth operation mode;

FIG. 10 shows an electronic device according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure in a ninth operation mode;

FIG. 11 shows an electronic device according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure in a tenth operation mode;

FIG. 12 shows an electronic device according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure in an eleventh operation mode;

FIG. 13 shows an electronic device according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure in an eighth operation mode, and further shows arotating device of the electronic device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A detailed illustration of exemplary embodiments according to thepresent disclosure will be given below in combination with theaccompanying drawings. By means of the accompanying drawings andcorresponding text illustration, those skilled in the art willunderstand the features and advantages of the present disclosure.

According to the first aspect of the present disclosure, an electronicdevice is provided. As shown in FIG. 4, the electronic device includes afirst body 1, a second body 2, a rotating device 3 and an enclosingmechanism 4, wherein the rotating device 3 is rotatably connected withthe first body 1 and the second body 2; the first body 1 includes afirst display screen 5; the second body 2 includes a second displayscreen 6; and the enclosing mechanism 4 encloses at least a part of therotating device 3.

The rotating device 1 is rotated between 0 and 360 degrees.

FIG. 1 shows the electronic device according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure in a first operation mode, wherein when the rotatingdevice 3 is rotated to 180 degrees, the electronic device is in a firstoperation mode, and in the first operation mode, the first body 1 andthe second body 2 are located on a same plane, and the first displayscreen 5 and the second display screen 6 show display informationtowards a same direction.

FIG. 2 shows the electronic device according to the embodiment of thepresent disclosure in a second operation mode, wherein when the rotatingdevice 3 is rotated to more than 180 degrees, the electronic device isin a second operation mode, free ends 1-1, 2-1 of the first body 1 andthe second body 2 can be supported on a support surface 8, and the firstdisplay screen 5 and the second display screen 6 show displayinformation towards two sides.

FIG. 3 shows the electronic device according to the embodiment of thepresent disclosure in a third operation mode, wherein when the rotatingdevice 3 is rotated to 360 degrees, the electronic device is in a thirdoperation mode, the first body 1 and the second body 2 are overlappedback to back, and the first display screen 5 and the second displayscreen 6 show display information towards two opposite directions.

As shown in FIG. 4, the enclosing mechanism 4 is fixed on the first body1 and the second body 2, and the tightness of the enclosing mechanism 4changes with the rotation of the rotating device 3.

The enclosing mechanism 4 includes an elastic component 4-1, and afterthe elastic component is pre-stretched, the enclosing mechanism 4 isfixed between the first body 1 and the second body 2, so that when therotating device 3 is rotated to different angles, the enclosingmechanism 4 is always fit and attached to the rotating device 3.

FIG. 4 further shows the electronic device according to the embodimentof the present disclosure in a fourth operation mode, wherein when therotating device is rotated between 90 degrees and 180 degrees, theelectronic device is in a fourth operation mode, the external surface(for example, the external surface of the second body 2 in FIG. 4) ofone of the first body 1 and the second body 2 is supported on a supportsurface 8, and the first display screen 5 and the second display screen6 show display information towards different directions.

FIG. 5 shows the electronic device according to the embodiment of thepresent disclosure in a fifth operation mode, wherein when the rotatingdevice is rotated to more than 180 degrees, the electronic device is ina fifth operation mode, one (for example, the second display screen 6 ofthe second body 2 in FIG. 5) of the first display screen 5 of the firstbody 1 and the second display screen 6 of the second body 2 is supportedon a support surface 8, and the other (for example, the first displayscreen 5 of the first body 1 in FIG. 5) of the first display screen 5 ofthe first body and the second display screen 6 of the second body isused for showing display information.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the electronic device according to the embodiment ofthe present disclosure in a sixth operation mode and further showmortise and tenon fit formed by a matching part and a fixing part.According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, the rotatingdevice 3 is detachably connected with the first body 1 and the secondbody 2, and in the sixth operation mode, the matching part (the matchingpart 1-2 of the first body 1 or the matching part 2-2 of the second body2) of at least one of the first body 1 and the second body 2 is separatefrom the fixing part 3-1 of the rotating device 3, so that the firstdisplay screen 5 of the first body is separate from the second displayscreen 6 of the second body, and the first display screen 5 and thesecond display screen 6 are capable of respectively showing displayinformation.

As shown in FIG. 6, the matching part 1-2 of the first body 1 and thefixing part 3-1 of the rotating device 3 form mortise and tenon fit, andthe matching part 2-2 of the second body and the fixing part 3-1 of therotating device 3 form mortise and tenon fit.

According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, the electronicdevice further includes a flexible display screen 7 (see FIG. 4), andthe flexible display screen 7 is arranged on the enclosing mechanism 4and can be used for performing a touch operation and showing the displayinformation.

According to the above aspects of the present disclosure, the rotatingdevice 3 includes a plurality of rotating shafts (see FIGS. 4 and 6)which are arranged in parallel and are in rotary fit, so that therotating device 3 can maintain a smooth state in a relative rotation ofthe first body 1 and the second body 2, such that the flexible displayscreen 7 also maintains the smooth state during the relative rotation.The rotary fit of the plurality of rotating shafts is achieved by gearfit.

In the relative rotation, the elastic component 4-1 also maintains thesmooth state, and no wrinkle is formed on the surface of the elasticcomponent 4-1.

The elastic component includes silica gel.

Based on the above structures of the present disclosure, since nophysical keyboard exists and only the display part exists, compared withthe related art, in the case of the same size, the separable first andsecond display screens 5, 6 can be both used for displaying interactiveinformation, so that the display area is increased, then the area forthe information to be displayed is increased, and thus much moreconvenience is brought to the user when a large amounts of informationare required to be displayed.

In addition, since a virtual keyboard can be used, the overall size ofthe keyboard part and the size of each key are variable, and thuscorresponding adjustment can be conveniently made according to theoperation habits of each user. Further, the way of applying this type ofelectronic device by the user is diversified.

Based on the above structures of the present disclosure, one of thefirst body 1 and the second body 2 can be separate from the fixing part3-1 of the rotating device 3, such that the first display screen 5 andthe second display screen 6 are separable, and a varied way of applyingthis type of electronic device by the user is further achieved.

Based on the above structures of the present disclosure, when a largenumber of input operations are required, in some of the above modes (forexample, the fourth mode), the electronic device according to thepresent disclosure needs no additional supporting device, for example, abracket, and needs no additional external keyboard, for example, aphysical keyboard in wired or wireless connection with the electronicdevice. In this way, since the additional supporting device and theadditional external keyboard are unnecessary, the size and the componentnumber of the electronic device according to the present disclosure canbe decreased/reduced, and thus the portability is improved.

In addition, the electronic device according to the present disclosureincludes the flexible display screen 7, namely a bendable displayscreen. The flexible display screen 7 can be used for displayinginformation (for example, including, but not limited to, promptinformation) and performing the touch operation. This further achievesthe diversification of applying the electronic device according to thepresent disclosure by the user.

According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, an electronicdevice is provided. As shown in FIG. 13, the electronic device includesa first body 1, a second body 2, a rotating device 3 and a bendabledisplay device 9, wherein the rotating device 3 is rotatably connectedwith the first body 1 and the second body 2, and the bendable displaydevice 9 encloses first sides of the first body 1, the second body 2 andthe rotating device 3.

The bendable display device 9 includes a flexible display screen, andthe flexible display screen encloses the first sides of the first body1, the second body 2 and the rotating device 3.

According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, the bendabledisplay device 9 can include a first display screen 5, a second displayscreen 6 and a flexible display screen 7; the flexible display screen 7is connected between the first display screen 5 and the second displayscreen 6; the first display screen 5 encloses the first side of thefirst body 1; the second display screen 6 encloses the first side of thesecond body 2; and the flexible display screen 7 encloses the first sideof the rotating device 3.

When the rotating device 3 is rotated to different angles, the flexibledisplay screen is always fit and attached to the first side of therotating device 3.

According to the present disclosure, the flexible display screenincludes a first elastic component 10 (see FIG. 4) connected with thefirst display screen and a second elastic component 11 (see FIG. 4)connected with the second display screen.

The electronic device further includes an enclosing mechanism 4, and theenclosing mechanism 4 encloses at least a part of the rotating device 3.

The rotating device 3 is rotated between 0 and 360 degrees.

The rotating device 3 includes a plurality of rotating shafts which arearranged in parallel and are in rotary fit, so that the rotating device3 can maintain a smooth state in a relative rotation of the first body 1and the second body 2, and then the flexible display screen 7 alsomaintains the smooth state during the relative rotation.

When the rotating device is rotated to more than 180 degrees, as shownin FIG. 8, the electronic device according to the embodiment of thepresent disclosure is in a seventh operation mode; the first body 1 andthe second body 2 rotate relative to each other to form a V shape, twoopposite edges (1-1, 2-1) of the first body and the second body formingthe V shape being supported on a support surface 8; the first displayscreen 5, the second display screen 6 and the flexible display screen 7can also be used for simultaneously displaying data information.

When the rotating device is rotated between 90 and 180 degrees, as shownin FIG. 9, the electronic device according to the embodiment of thepresent disclosure is in an eighth operation mode; one of the first body1 and the second body 2 is supported on the support surface 8 (forexample, the second body 2 is supported on the support surface 8 in FIG.9); one of the first display screen 5 and the second display screen 6 ofthe bendable display device is used for displaying data information, theother of the first display screen 5 and the second display screen 6 isused for performing the touch operation, and the flexible display screen7 is used for displaying the data information and/or performing thetouch operation.

When the rotating device is rotated to more than 180 degrees, as shownin FIG. 10, the electronic device according to the embodiment of thepresent disclosure is in a ninth operation mode; one of the first body 1and the second body 2 is supported on the support surface 8; one of thefirst display screen 5 and the second display screen 6 is used fordisplaying the data information and/or performing the touch operation,the other of the first display screen 5 and the second display screen 6faces to a support surface 8 (for example, the second display screen 6faces to a support surface 8 in FIG. 10), and the flexible displayscreen 7 is used for displaying the data information and/or performingthe touch operation.

When the rotating device is rotated to 180 degrees, as shown in FIG. 11,the electronic device according to the embodiment of the presentdisclosure is in a tenth operation mode; and in the tenth operationmode, the first body 1 and the second body 2 rotate relative to eachother to be located in a same plane; and in the tenth operation mode,the first display screen 5 and the second display screen 6 are togetherused for displaying the data information and/or performing the touchoperation of the user, and the flexible display screen 7 is used fordisplaying the data information and/or performing the touch operation.

When the rotating device is rotated to 360 degrees, as shown in FIG. 12,the electronic device according to the embodiment of the presentdisclosure is in an eleventh operation mode; and in the eleventhoperation mode, the first body 1 and the second body 2 rotate relativeto each other to contact each other; and in the eleventh operation mode,the first display screen 5 and the second display screen 6 are parallelto each other, and the first display screen 5 and/or the second displayscreen 6 can be used for displaying the data information and/orperforming the touch operation, and the flexible display screen 7 isused for displaying the data information and/or performing the touchoperation.

According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, during therotation of the first body 1 and the second body 2, the enclosingmechanism 4 made from a flexible material maintains a smooth state, andno wrinkle is formed on the surface of the flexible material.

The flexible material is silica gel.

As shown in FIG. 13, the rotary fit of the plurality of rotating shaftsis achieved by gear fit.

Based on the above structures from the fourth aspect to the sixth aspectof the present disclosure, since no physical keyboard exists and onlythe display part exists in the electronic device according to thepresent disclosure, compared with the related art, in the case of thesame size, the entire flexile display screen can be used for displayinginteractive information, so that the display area is increased, then thearea for the information to be displayed is increased, and thus muchmore convenience is brought to the user when a large amounts ofinformation are required to be displayed.

In addition, since the virtual keyboard is used, the overall size of thekeyboard part and the size of each key are variable, and thuscorresponding adjustment can be conveniently made according to theoperation habits of each user. Further, the way of applying this type ofelectronic device by the user is varied.

Based on the above structures from the fourth aspect to the sixth aspectof the present disclosure, the electronic device according to thepresent disclosure does not need to be held by one hand of the user,while the other hand is used for inputting operation instructions. Whena large number of input operations are required, in some of the abovemodes, the electronic device according to the present disclosure needsno additional supporting device, for example, a bracket, and needs noadditional external physical keyboard, for example, a physical keyboardin wired or wireless connection with the electronic device. In this way,since the additional supporting device and the additional externalkeyboard are unnecessary, the portability of the electronic deviceaccording to the present disclosure is improved.

In addition, the electronic device according to the present disclosureincludes the flexible display screen, namely the bendable displayscreen. In the rotation of the rotating device, the flexible displayscreen always maintains the smooth state and can be used for displayingthe data information and/or performing the touch operation. Due to thearrangement of the flexible display screen, the way of applying theelectronic device according to the present disclosure by the user isvaried.

1. With reference to specific embodiments, although the presentdisclosure has been described in the description and the accompanyingdrawings, it should be understood that, those skilled in art to whichthe present disclosure pertains can make a variety of changes and avariety of equivalents to replace a variety of elements therein, withoutdeparting from the scope of the present disclosure defined by theclaims. Moreover, the combination or coordination of the technicalfeatures, elements and/or functions between the specific embodimentsherein are clear and definite, therefore, according to these disclosedcontents, those skilled in the art to which the present disclosurepertains can appreciate that the technical features, elements and/orfunctions in the embodiments can be combined into another specificembodiment as the case may be, unless otherwise described for the abovecontents. In addition, according to the teachings of the presentdisclosure, a variety of changes can be made to adapt to specialsituations or materials, without departing from the essence of thepresent disclosure. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not limitedto individual specific embodiments illustrated by the accompanyingdrawings, or specific embodiments serving as best embodiments envisagedfor implementing the present disclosure and described in thedescription, and the present disclosure is intended to encompass allembodiments falling within the scope of the above description and theappended claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An electronic device comprising: a firstbody comprising a first side comprising a first display screen thatdisplays first interactive information; a second body comprising a firstside comprising a second display screen that displays second interactiveinformation; a rotating device comprising a first side comprising aflexible display screen that displays third interactive information andwhich is flexible to form a non-linear curved surface that extends froma first edge of the flexible display screen nearest the first displayscreen to a second edge of the flexible display screen nearest thesecond display screen, wherein the flexible display screen comprises afirst elastic component connected with the first display screen and asecond elastic component connected with the second display screen,wherein the rotating device rotatably connecting the first body and thesecond body, and wherein the rotating device is detachably connected toeach of the first body and the second body, the flexible display screenis disposed between the first display screen and the second displayscreen, and each of the first display screen, the second display screen,and the flexible display screen are separate, wherein in oneconfiguration each of the first side of the first body, the first sideof the second body, the first side of the rotating device face in a samedirection.
 2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein when therotating device is rotated to different angles, the flexible displayscreen is always fit and attached to the first side of the rotatingdevice.
 3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the rotating deviceis configured to rotate between 0 and 360 degrees.
 4. The electronicdevice of claim 1, wherein the rotating device comprises a plurality ofrotating shafts arranged in parallel and in rotary fit, so that therotating device maintains a smooth state in a relative rotation of thefirst body and the second body, and then the flexible display screenalso maintains the smooth state in the relative rotation.
 5. Theelectronic device of claim 4, wherein the rotary fit of the plurality ofrotating shafts is achieved by gear fit.
 6. The electronic device ofclaim 1, wherein the first body and the second body rotate relative toeach other to form a V shape; two opposite edges of the first body andthe second body forming the V shape being supported on a supportsurface, the first display screen, the second display screen andflexible display screen are capable of simultaneously displaying datainformation.
 7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein one of thefirst body and the second body is supported on a support surface; andone of the first display screen and the second display screen is usedfor displaying data information, the other of the first display screenand the second display screen is used for a touching operation, and theflexible display screen is used for displaying the data informationand/or performing the touch operation.
 8. The electronic device of claim1, wherein one of the first body and the second body is supported on asupport face; one of the first display screen and the second displayscreen is used for displaying data information and/or carrying out atouch operation, the other of the first display screen and the seconddisplay screen faces to a support surface, and the flexible displayscreen is used for displaying the data information and/or performing thetouch operation.
 9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the firstbody and the second body rotate relative to each other to be located ina same plane; and the first display screen and the second display screenare together used for displaying data information and/or performing atouch operation, and the flexible display screen is used for displayingthe data information and/or performing the touch operation.
 10. Theelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the first body and the second bodyrotate relative to each other so as to contact each other; and the firstdisplay screen and the second display screen are parallel to each other,and the first display screen and/or the second display screen is capableof being used for displaying data information and/or performing a touchoperation, and the flexible display screen is used for displaying thedata information and/or performing the touch operation.
 11. Theelectronic device of claim 1, further comprising an enclosing mechanismmade from a flexible material and enclosing at least part of therotating device and comprising a pre-stretched elastic component, theenclosing mechanism being fixed between the first body the second bodyso that the enclosing mechanism is always fit and attached to therotating device, wherein during relative rotation of the first body andthe second body, the enclosing mechanism maintains a smooth state, andno wrinkle is formed on a surface of the enclosing mechanism.
 12. Theelectronic device of claim 11, wherein the flexible material is silicagel.